Ditthardt Family
Don and Karen Ditthardt, second generation camp volunteers, have helped with camp in every decade going back all the way to the seventies. We caught up with them during Consider the Heavens’ Family Camp this year when they came with their grandchildren, now fourth generation campers.
Don, though never a camper, says his experience at camp began with, “Dad helping build Living Waters back in the 70s.” Over the years he would come back to counsel at camps and serve as a dishwasher at others. Eventually, Don and Karen met and started coming to camp as a team, working as teachers for several years and eventually sending their kids to camp.
Winterama (Now Winter Recharge) was their first experience directing. Don says, “That was the first time we met Dennis Siler, at Winterama. Dennis was dropping off some kids from Michigan and we got a chance to meet for the first time.” They directed in 1989 and enjoyed the role so much that they also decided to help start-up another camp to direct: Homeschool Family Camp. The springtime camp that ran from 1994-2018 impacted many homeschool families who had the option to go to camp in the spring as well as the normal summer family camp.
“A lot has changed over the years, but God working here stays the same.”
“One thing I remember about camp was the first time my son was able to go to Camp,” says Don. “3-4th Grade Camp was the first one he could go to, but he was understandably nervous about it and didn’t want to go. So, Karen and I decided to direct the camp so we could be around for him. We did that two years until he could go to 5-6th Grade Camp; that time we put our foot down and said, ‘No, you are not getting us to direct AGAIN.’ He had a great time and that was that.”
Though the Ditthardts have not been around camp as much in recent years, they came for 2020’s Consider the Heavens Family Camp (When this interview was recorded). “A lot of things have changed around here, but the atmosphere of God working here has stayed the same.”
Thank you so much to the Ditthardt family for your years of service to the Lord at Living Waters!